To get where you want to be in life, you need to have goals. It doesn't matter if you want to advance professionally, improve a hobby or lose weight, goals help you achieve your desires.
I think it's important to look back at the previous year and see how you did as far as your goals. When I see how realistic my previous year goals were, then I can decide how to set my goals for the current year. Unfortunately, I didn't list my goals for 2011 in my update on 2010. So, I will just say what I did and give my 2012 goals.
I got two certifications in 2011. I got my oracle database 11g data warehouse specialist cert and my CIW database design specialist cert. I plan to get two (or 3) more certs in 2012. Right now I think I will get the comptia project+ and the oracle 11g sql expert with maybe a security cert as an optional 3rd. That's what I'm thinking right now anyway. That could always change though.
As usual, I try to learn, or do, something completely foreign to my real job. 2011 was no different there. Well, it was a little different. Instead of learning a new database, programming language or OS, I signed up for nanowrimo, national write novel month. The goal is to get 50,000 words written. That's about half a normal novel but it's a darn good start. I managed to write my daily 1667 words and then some. I'm still working on this. I want to finish the novel and do nanowrimo again in 2012.
My son is learning to program. He's only 8 but he's already managed to learn quite a bit. To help him better, I'm going to learn Lua (which is what he is using). I've spent a couple of hours so far and have become fairly productive. It's a robust, simple language and sort of reminds me of dBase iii.
I'm back in school (or will be shortly). I want to take one class every semester until I die. If I live long enough, I will know everything. Well, except for the true mysteries, like where does that sock in the dryer go. I'm not taking computer classes. I am taking writing, history, religion, etc. Things that interest me personally, not professionally.
In 2011, I contributed to another book and completed a dvd training course for PL/SQL. In 2012, I am doing an Oracle concepts (admin and programming) DVD course. I'm not sure about any more books. I think maybe I would like to do a tech edit on a book. That would be a new experience for me.
Professionally, I am currently consulting. I enjoy being a consultant. I like my current job a lot, I like the people I'm working with and it's close to home. The job itself isn't the most challenging and the technology is nothing special (11.1 on stock AIX). Still, I like the gig and will stay until the contract runs out.
If the contract does run out in 2012, I think I would like to look at something new. I would like to do smomething that makes a difference. Maybe help start a new company or do some non-profit work. I guess I'll think more about that if the time comes.
And, I want to re-lose the pounds I have gained in 2011. It was sort of a fat year for me. Of course, I want to spend a lot of time with my wife and kids. That just sort of comes naturally though.
So, how did you do in 2011? What are your goals in 2012?